The Thought That Counts
by Jemi Gr
Summary: [CATS fic] When Mungojerrie plans a romantic birthday for Rumpelteazer so he can express his more-than-friendly feelings for her, everything that can go wrong does. COMPLETE! ! !
1. Part One

**The Thought That Counts: Part One**

"Mungojerrie! I've been looking all over for you!" cried a voice from behind the tabby cat. The orange cat did not turn his head to see who the voice belonged to, however, because he was too deep in thought to notice it. He did notice it, however, when a small brown kitten jumped suddenly on his back.

"Argh!" he cried, rather unhappy about being suddenly drawn out of his thoughts. He wheeled around suddenly to see Electra, looking about as disgruntled as he felt, which was very.

"Sorry," she murmured sheepishly.

"Wot is it?" Mungojerrie cried angrily. "Oi'm busy."

"You don't look busy."

"Looks ca' be deceivin', love."

Electra sighed. "Whatever. I need to talk to you."

"Go on wit' it, then."

"Well, you know, Rumpelteazer's birthday is coming up soon," said Electra, "and I was wondering if you knew what she might like for a present…?"

"Electra, if Oi knew wha' she wanted, Oi wouldn't be sittin' here starin' inta space, would Oi?" growled Mungojerrie.

"I don't know, would you?" asked Electra.

"No! Oi'd be out gettin' it! But since Oi don' know, Oi'm sittin' here, and since Oi'm sittin' 'ere, it means Oi'm not gonna be much help to ya, am Oi?"

Electra blinked. "Um… right… anyways, I was _going_ to give her an autographed picture of Rum Tum Tugger, but Etcetera got his autograph first. Then I thought maybe I could get her a new collar, but I don't have any money and she gets a new one every other day anyways. Then I thought maybe I could make her something, but I'm not very crafty, and Jemima was too busy to help-"

"Electra, would 'oo shut up?" said Mungojerrie. "Oi'm tryin' ta think."

"Oh," said Electra. "Maybe I can help!"

"How are 'oo gonna help when 'oo don' know wha' ta get 'er either, eh?" asked Mungojerrie.

"Well," began Electra, "I've run out of ideas for a present from me. But I have plenty ideas if it's a present from _you_." She winked.

Mungojerrie rolled his eyes. "Now, don' get any ideas, Electra. Teaza' and Oi are jus' friends."

"Yeah, sure, whatever," said Electra with a wave of her hand. "You're friends now. But perhaps maybe one of you wants things to be a little more…" she racked her brain for the right word, "_serious_."

"If you're sayin' Teaza' has a crush on me, it's not true," said Mungojerrie. "She'd 'ave told me."

"I'm not talking about Rumpelteazer!" cried Electra, exasperated. "I'm talking about you!"

"Me?" said Mungojerrie. "Wha' 'bout me?"

Electra rolled her eyes. "You like Rumpelteazer!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"  


"Do too!"

"Do not!" 

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

Electra sighed and rolled her eyes. "This could go on for a very long time," she said slowly. "Unless you want to admit that you like Rumpelteazer…"

"Oi… do not… like 'er!" said Mungojerrie, his temper rising.

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too, do too, do too!"

"ARGH! Fine!" exclaimed Mungojerrie. "So maybe Oi like 'er a little…"

"I KNEW IT!" cried Electra loudly. "This is great! Now you can give her an incredibly romantic birthday present!"

"An' wha' do 'oo know 'bout romantic birthday presents?" asked Mungojerrie.

Electra stopped grinning and gave Mungojerrie the Evil Eye™. "If you _must _know, a very special _someone _gave me a _very_ romantic dinner and a _lovely_ gift on my last birthday. I can tell you _exactly_ what will make Rumpelteazer _swoon._"

Mungojerrie blinked. "Firs' of all, Oi'm not sure Oi wan' Teaza' to _swoon, _whatever that is. An' secon' of all… 'oo would your special someone be, Electra?"

Electra blushed. "I don't have to tell you."

"Yes you do!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"I told 'oo," said Mungojerrie with a smirk.

"Argh, fine, I'll tell you, alright?" said Electra, rolling her eyes. She glanced around to see if anyone was listening, and then lowered her voice significantly. "It's… Mistoffelees."

"MISTOFFELEES?" cried Mungojerrie.

"Yes?" said a voice from behind the tabby cat. Mungojerrie turned to see the tribe magician standing there, looking confused.

"Misto!" cried Electra, jumping up and running towards the tuxedo. "Mungojerrie and I were just talking about Rumpelteazer's birthday. Make a long story short, he likes her, she probably likes him, he knows you like me and I like you, he wants to tell her he likes her through a romantic birthday present like you gave me. Savvy?"

Mistoffelees blinked. "Johnny Depp?"

"What?"

"Huh?"

"Huh?"

"What?"

"Can Oi intercrop?" asked Mungojerrie.

"Why sure, I don't see why not, if you have the right plants and you have a large enough field-" said Electra, but was interrupted by a black paw over her mouth.

"You mean interrupt?" offered Mistoffelees helpfully.

"Yeah, that," said Mungojerrie. "Now, it's not like 'huhs' and 'whots' aren't fine an' dandy, but can we pleas' get back to tha problem? What am Oi gonna do 'bout Teaza's present?"

Electra sighed. "Just take her out to a nice, romantic restaurant."

"Tip the waiter so you don't get a table in a section that's too crowded," said Mistoffelees.

Electra smiled at him. "Buy her whatever she wants…"

"Gaze lovingly into her eyes…"

"And after the meal is over…"

"When you're alone, outside…"

"With the moon smiling down on you…"

"And the stars twinkling overhead…"

"Give her a kiss…"

"And tell her you love her. Very, very much."

With that, Mistoffelees leaned over and gave his mate a small kiss. When he pulled away Electra was blushing heavily, but also smiling. A lot. A real lot. Mungo thought she looked like the Cheshire Cat with whitening strips.

"So, do 'oo mean, if Oi do all of that, Teaza' will be as lovey-dovey for me as 'lectra is for 'oo, Misto?" asked Mungojerrie incredulously.

Mistoffelees nodded and smiled.

"Alright," said Mungojerrie, a small smile growing on his face as well. "Tell me wot to do again…?"

*~*

Author's Notes: Hey, I was bored. Forgive me. 

Part Two up soon!

--jemi gr 22-july-2003


	2. Part Two

****

Author's Notes: Terribly sorry for the delay in this, I've been spending most of my time & energy on 'To the Moonlight.' I'd like to take the time to thank all the reviewers : THANK YOU! I'm also glad to read that so many got the Pirates of the Caribbean reference, hee hee, I love that movie.

****

The Thought That Counts: Part Two

"Did you make reservations at De Color Café like I told you to?" Mistoffelees asked Mungojerrie, who was bouncing up and down like a… well, like very nervous cat.

"De Color Café?" asked Mungojerrie, trying to sound casual.

"Yes, De Color Café," said Mistoffelees, exasperated. "Did you make reservations or not…?"  


"I though' 'oo said to make reservations at tha Burga' Barn…"

Mistoffelees slapped his forehead with one of his black paws. "First of all, the Burger Barn doesn't take reservations. Second of all, _explain to me how you can confuse De Color Café, the most prestigious dining for felines in all of Europe, with a common, ordinary, dirty, greasy, smelly, **Burger Barn?!?**_"

"Well, I didn't, I jus' though' Teaza' and Oi would 'ave more fun at tha' Burga' Barn… it's Teaza's favorite restaurant," said Mungojerrie matter-of-factly.

"Oh, is that so?" said Mistoffelees exasperatedly. "Sure, the Burger Barn is fine for a casual dinner, (if you like dirt, grease, and horrible stenches) but come on! You're proclaiming your love to her! Do you want Rumpelteazer to tell people she fell head of paws in love with the tom of her dreams at the glamorous De Color Café? Or that she and her best friend became an item at the smelly local Burger Barn?"

"Well, Oi suppose Oi'll cancel tha' reservations at tha' Burga' Barn, then," grumbled Mungojerrie.

"There were no reservations in the first place!" cried Mistoffelees.

"Oh. Right."

Mistoffelees sighed. This was a tough job. "Now, about that collar…"

"What's a-matter with my colla'?" asked Mungojerrie defensively.

"Nothing, nothing," said Mistoffelees. "Except it's horrid."

"Hey!"

"Now, please tell me you have something decent looking around here somewhere…" said Mistoffelees anxiously.

"Well, Oi think Oi 'ave a brown colla' in that box ova' there," muttered Mungojerrie. "But, really, Teaza' gave me this colla'. Don't you think Oi shoul' wear it?"

"No," said Mistoffelees. He began rummaging around in the box Mungojerrie had pointed towards, and eventually came up with a brown collar that had been nearly ripped to shreds. The tuxedo cat sighed.

"Oi guess it's not as nice as Oi though' it was…" mumbled Mungojerrie sheepishly.

Mistoffelees closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, then began to undo the black bow tie that was tied around his neck. "Here…" he said slowly, handing the bow tie to Mungojerrie. "Wear this. But be forewarned, if you lose it, damage it, _whatever_, I swear to the Everlasting Cat I will make sure you do not live to see another day."

"Are 'oo sayin' your gonna kill me if Oi lose your bow tie?" asked Mungojerrie incredulously.

"No, no," said Mistoffelees quickly. "I don't like blood. I'll let the Atlantic Ocean do the killing for me."

"And how are 'oo gonna get me to the 'lantic Ocean?" asked Mungojerrie, folding his arms.

Mistoffelees raised his paw and prepared to snap his fingers. "Would you like me to demonstrate?"

"NO!" cried Mungojerrie. "Oi mean… uh… no thanks…"

"Well, don't do anything to my bow tie and I won't have to," snarled Mistoffelees.

"How abou' Oi don't wear th' bow tie at all?" smirked Mungojerrie.

"Oh, no you're wearing the bow tie," said Mistoffelees.

Mungojerrie sighed. "Now, Stoff, what 'oo are doin' 'ere, it's very nice an' all, but seein' as how Oi am th' one askin' Teaza' out, shouldn't Oi do it my way? Oi mean… this is nice, but Oi want Teaza' to like me, not 'oo."

"First of all," said Mistoffelees slowly, "I am the one with the experience, I am the one who knows how to impress queens, therefore we'll be doing it my way. Look at Electra! Trust me, Mungojerrie, the Burger Barn isn't going to make Rumpelteazer like you at all. And second of all, don't ever, _ever,_ call me 'Stoff' again. _Ever. _Understood?"

Mungojerrie nodded and sighed. "Yeah, wha'ever."

Mistoffelees sighed again. "Good. Now, do you remember what we went over?"

Mungojerrie rolled his eyes. "Why Rumpe'teaza', 'oo look loverly tonight…"

*~*

"Why Rumpe'teaza', 'oo look loverly tonight," said Mungojerrie as Rumpelteazer stepped outside to meet him.

"Thanks, 'Jerr," said Rumpelteazer with a smile. "Though I don' look much differen' than Oi did las' night…"

"Well… um… tonoight… your eyes… um… glisten, that's tha one, glisten. Like… like… sparkling jools."

"Um… roight…" said Rumpelteazer. "So, where are we goin' for dinna'? Tha Burga' Barn?"

"No," said Mungojerrie, a smile appearing on his face. "We're goin' to De Color Café!"

Rumpelteazer wrinkled her nose. "De Color Café? Why are we goin' there? Thought 'oo 'ated it there!"

"Oi do!" cried Mungojerrie without thinking. "Oi mean – Oi don't! How could 'oo 'ate De Color Café? It's tha mos'… tha mos'… tha mos' nicest place around!"

"Yeah, Demeta' says it's real nice," said Rumpelteazer, eyeing Mungojerrie suspiciously. "Say Mungo, where'd ya get that bow tie?"

"Uh…" Mungojerrie fingered the bow tie anxiously. "Uh… this ol' thing? Oi've had this foreva'!"

"Why aren't 'oo wearin' tha colla' I gave ya, Mungo?" asked Rumpelteazer.

"Well… Oi wanted ta look nice…" said Mungojerrie quietly.

"Oh… so tha colla' Oi gave ya isn't nice?" said Rumpelteazer, sounding a little bit hurt.

"No, that's not true, Oi love that colla', it's jus'… oh neva' mind," said Mungojerrie, shaking his head. "Come on, Teaza', let's go, or we'll miss our reservations."

*~*

"So, Teaza', whadaya want?" asked Mungojerrie once the two were seated and had their menus.

"I dunno, Mungo," said Rumpelteazer slowly. "Tha' menu they gave me don't 'ave no prices, but Oi bet it's all pretty 'spensive. 'Oo sure 'oo don't wanna eat somewhere else?"

"No, Teaza', it's fine, get whateva' your pretty little 'eart desires," said Mungojerrie.

"Sure 'bout that, Mungo?" asked Rumpelteazer nervously.

"Yep," said Mungojerrie, gulping. Honestly, he doubted about whether he could even afford a saucer of milk at this place… Mistoffelees hadn't told him it would cost this much…

"Are you ready to place your order, sir and madam?" asked the waiter kindly.

"Um, yeah," said Mungojerrie.

"Oi'll 'ave tha' Strasbourg Pie, with a side of caviar," said Rumpelteazer, licking her lips excitedly as she handed the waiter her menu.

"And Oi'll 'ave… uh… a saucer of milk," said Mungojerrie.

"Is that all ya want, 'Jerr?" asked Rumpelteazer, looking up at Mungojerrie.

"Yeah… Oi'm not really that hungry," said Mungojerrie. _I'm really not that rich!_

"Sir, is cream alright, instead of milk?" said the waiter politely.

"Yes, foine, whateva'," said Mungojerrie grumpily.

"Alright," said the waiter, and he briskly walked away.

"Mungojerrie, what's tha matta' with 'oo?" asked Rumpelteazer anxiously. "'Oo seem… distracted."

"It's just… uh… neva' mind," said Mungojerrie. "It's not importan'."

"If 'oo say so," mumbled Rumpelteazer.

*~*

"Here's your cream, sir," said the waiter, placing a saucer in front of Mungojerrie. "And your Strasbourg Pie with caviar, miss."

"Thank 'oo," said Rumpelteazer politely. The waiter bowed and left.

Mungojerrie eyed Rumpelteazer cautiously as she lowered her mouth to the plate and took a nibble of the caviar. A moment late it shot out of her mouth and all over Mungojerrie's face.

"That's GROSS!" cried Rumpelteazer. All the heads in the restaurant snapped towards their table.

Mungojerrie buried his face in his hands. _Some romantic dinner this is!_

"Oi mean seriously, Mungo, who would wanna' eat this stuff?" asked Rumpelteazer incredulously. 

"Is there a problem with your dinner, ma'am?" asked a waiter, who mysteriously appeared at the side of the table.

"Yes, it's disgustin'," said Rumpelteazer firmly.

"Well, I'm terribly sorry. Is there anything we can do? Anything we can bring you instead?" asked the waiter.

"Yes. A double bacon cheeseburga' with mayo an' extra pickle," said Rumpelteazer.

"Ma'am, I'm terribly sorry, but we do not serve 'double bacon cheeseburgers' here at De Color Café," said the waiter.

"Well, why not?" asked Rumpelteazer indignantly.

"Because-" began the waiter, but Mungojerrie interrupted.

"Oi'd like tha' check, please, and hurry," said the calico tom anxiously.

"Yes sir." The waiter bowed once more and departed.

Mungojerrie frantically racked his brain. This evening was most certainly _not _going as planned. He needed away to turn things around, and quickly. De Color Café? What had he been thinking? He should have told Mistoffelees right away he was going to do it his way, or not at all. The calico cat had half a mind to "accidentally" grind the tuxedo cat's stupid bow tie into tiny shreds. 

He needed a plan… a cunning plan to woo Rumpelteazer… a cunning plan to woo Rumpelteazer that Mistoffelees had _not _planted in his head…

*~*

"So, here we are, outside tha' restauran' after our loverly meal, in the moonlight," said Mungojerrie nervously. Curse Mistoffelees! Curse him and his stupid little voice that made you think that there couldn't possibly be any way to do anything that wasn't a way that he didn't come up with! Curse him!

"Ya know, Jer, somethin' seems diff'rent 'bout you," said Rumpelteazer anxiously.

"You look… loverly tonight," said Mungojerrie.

"Didn't 'oo already say tha'?" asked the tabby queen. Mungojerrie shrugged.

"But your eyes… Oi could lose myself in 'em," said Mungojerrie, trying desperately to sound romantic.

"Yeah, tha's not all you've lost," muttered Rumpelteazer. "Come on, Mungo, Oi want ta go home now."

Mungojerrie panicked. This was a disaster! What was he going to do? She wanted to go home, she wanted this night to be over, oh, it was never going to work now! Oh, he was going to kill Mistoffelees, and his stupid little bow tie too, take Rumpelteazer to De Color Café, what a stupid idea, why didn't he see it before? This whole night was ruined, Rumpelteazer would never like him now…

"Oi'm sorry, Teaza," blurted out Mungojerrie.

"Sorry? For what?" asked Rumpelteazer, looking at her partner in crime with a puzzled look on her face.

"For this… this night… it's been terrible, Oi know, Teaza… Oi'm sorry," said Mungojerrie, looking at the ground.

Rumpelteazer sighed and walked over to her friend. "No, Jerr, it's not been 'oribble," she said. "It's jus'… Oi dunno… not me. And it's not 'oo either," she added as an afterthought.

"Oi know," sighed Mungojerrie. "It's not 'oo or me, it's 'Stoffelees and 'Lectra."

"Mistoffelees? Leccy? Wot do they hafta do with this?" asked Rumpelteazer, wrinkling her nose.

"Well…" Mungojerrie blushed. "Oi kinds sorta liked 'oo, and Oi kinda sorta wanted to tell 'oo but Oi wasn't quite sure how… so Oi kind sorta asked 'Stoffelees to help me and he tol' me to do all this stuff loike the De Color Café to impress 'oo so Oi did it and Oi screwed it all up and now Oi'll just… go home and… I dunno… eat a rug or somethin'."

To Mungojerrie's great surprise, Rumpelteazer burst out laughing.

"Wot?" he asked indignantly.

Rumpelteazer smiled. "Mungo, 'oo don't need De Color Café, a bow tie, _or _Mistoffelees to get me to like 'oo!" She paused, and her smile grew wider. "All 'oo need is… you."

Mungojerrie blinked. "Does tha' mean 'oo loike me, then?"

Rumpelteazer leaned forward and gave Mungojerrie a small kiss. When she pulled away, her smile was so wide Mungojerrie thought her whole face would split.

"So, yes or no?" he asked.

Rumpelteazer laughed a joyous, pure, wonderful ringing laugh that echoed through Mungojerrie's mind. 

"Happy birthday, Rumpelteazer," whispered the tom.

She smiled, and they kissed again, and as they kissed, fireworks exploded in the sky.

*~*

Mistoffelees smiled at the fireworks that had just come out of his two paws. "Perfect," he whispered. "I didn't even catch the bushes on fire!"

"Yeah, speaking of the bushes, can we leave them now?" asked Electra. "I'm a sucker for romance, but watching it while being attacked by branches is not fun."

"Keep quiet, would you?" asked Mistoffelees. "You don't want them to hear us."

"Like they'll be able to after that racket you made with those 'fireworks,'" grumbled Electra. "And besides, they're in their own little world anyways. Not even one of your little lightning bolts could disturb them now."

The magician rolled his eyes. 

Electra gave the tuxedoed tom a sidelong glance and said, "I must admit, Misto, I was worried things were going to be disastrous for a while there, but in the end you made a nice save. Good job."

"Save? That wasn't a save," said Mistoffelees, scrunching up his nose. "Honestly, Electra, don't you know me at all? I had the whole thing planned!"  


Electra smiled and put her arm around her mate. "I'm sure you did, Misto, I'm sure you did."

"I did so have it planned!"

"If you say so."

"I did!"

"Uh-huh."

"Why is that so hard to believe?"

"You tell me."

"Because I'm lying?"

"Yep."

"Yeah, that would explain it."

"Yep."

"Is that all you can say?"  


"I reckon so! Yep."

"Is this story over yet?"  


"Yep."

~fini~

****

Author's Notes: EVERYONE! If you are a Mistoffelees/Electra fan, PLEASE visit my new site: www.foreverfluff.tk : it is a fansite devoted to those two cuties!

--jemi gr, 6-september-2003


End file.
